Photographic printer



Jan. 3, 1956 w. F'IX PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 8,1952 INVENTOR ATTO R N EY Jan. 3, 1956 w. FIX

PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 8, 1952 INVENTORATTORNEY United States Patent 2,729,155 PI-IOTOGRAPHIC PRINTER WilliFix, Speyer, Germany Application January 8, 1952, Serial No. 265,430

Claims priority, application Germany January 13, 1951 8 Claims. (Cl.9575) The present invention relates to a photographic printer and moreparticularly to such a printer adapted to produce images in series fromfilms. Such prints, especially in the case of miniature camera prints,have hitherto as a rule had to be taken from more or less long filmstrips by individual exposure of each image. Strip-like prints have beenproduced which are then cut up into individual prints, the handling andaccommodation of which are usually very difiicult for the amateur, andthe identification of individual exposures being rendered rather tediousor requiring the use of special albums and the like.

Printing apparatus of various types for the production of prints ofvarious sizes are well known. Such an apparatus consists essentially ofa box-like housing with electrical equipment, such as plugs, printinglamp and colored bulb, and also a desk-like lid with a printing windowfor use as a support and as a means for illumination and exposure bytransmitted light, and the so-called print backing plate and printinglever which is movable under spring loading by means of a handleattached thereto, to fix the position of negative and printing paper onthe support during the printing operation.

Such apparatus is, however, unsuitable for the simultaneous printing ofimages in series because in collecting together several negatives forsimultaneous printing, the different densities of the individualnegatives would lead either to over-exposure or to under-exposure if theconditions were adjusted to suit only one of the images of the group.

An object of the present invention is to provide a printer capable ofproducing properly exposed prints at one exposure, from negatives ofdifferent densities.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a printerwhich is capable of rapidly producing several prints in coordinatinggroups on a single sheet of printing paper, such as collective prints inthe form of spaced parallel rows of several individual prints. As anexample, said printer may produce a double row of three individualprints upon a single sheet which is then easy to handle and a pluralityof which may be fastened in a cover, thus providing a handy format forthe collection and display of related exposures. In this connection itshould be noted that it is necessary to provide means to insure thecorrect registry of the printing paper in printing the separate rows.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of such a printerwhich incorporates means to mark printing paper and the like to enablethe recognition of a printed portion thereof.

These and other objects are accomplished by a printer which includes abox-like housing, a window in said housing dimensioned to permit theprinting of a plurality of negatives at one time, a spring-loadedbacking block pivotally mounted so as to have alternate definedpositions of engagement with the surface of said window andout-ofengagement position, a printing lamp spaced from said window andadjustable light intensity varying means mounted so as to be movablebetween said lamp and said said window so that light which passesthrough negatives of different densities may be controlled so as toproduce a substantially equivalent intensity gradation of light througheach said image. The light intensity varying means may be gray wedgerolls and each of them may be mounted on a shaft, said shafts beingco-axial and each being capable of adjustment from the exterior of theapparatus without disturbing the adjustment of the other. This lattereifect may be obtained by means of a milled wheel attached to each shaftand a separate leaf spring bearing on each milled edge.

Guide means to assist in positioning paper to be printed upon may be inthe form of both fixed abutments and members projecting through slots insaid housing proximate said window and which are mechanically linked tosaid backing block so as to be withdrawn within said housing during theexposure operation.

The means of marking exposed portions of paper or other printingmaterial may consist of a marking pin mounted upon said backing blockadapted to pierce or otherwise mark paper at the time the backing blockis brought into position during the actual exposure process.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the present invention may behad by referring to the following expanded description and claims, takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate apreferred embodiment thereof, it being understood that the foregoingstatement of the objects of the subject invention and the brief summarythereof are intended to generally explain the same without limiting itin any manner.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the printing apparatus after the removalof the desk lid, which includes the printing window, and with a part ofthe vertical front wall shown broken away.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the above mentioned desk lid with brokenparts of the bounding walls.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of a mean section perpendicularto the axis of the gray wedge rolls.

Fig. 4 shows diagrammatically a vertical section parallel to the axis ofthe gray wedge rolls.

In the drawing 1 is the housing with a time switch 2 of conventionaltype and a likewise conventional colored lamp 3, for example a red lamp.Over the source of illumination 4, in this case a tubular printing lamp,there is provided, on separate co-axial shafts 5, 6 and 7 (cf. Figs. 3and 4) a roller body consisting of three adjacent rings or hollowcylinders 8, 9 and 10 of transparent material, for example glass, one oneach shaft, in such a manner that tubular lamp 4, positionedeccentrically, is situated as near as possible to a desk lid 11, or moreparticularly to a printing window 12 of the desk lid. The three rolls 8,9 and 10 have increasing peripheral shading, which is similar in eachcase, so that,.beginning with a degree of brightness corresponding tocomplete transparency of the material, sections of increasing lightintensity reduction, parallel to the axis, pass to a section where theintensity is reduced to zero, that is to say amounting to completeopacity. The widths of sections of approximately the same degree ofintensity correspond approximately to the width of printing window 12,but of course the shading is not abruptly interrupted. In the drawingvarious adjacent shadings are indicated. Hence, as rings 8, 9 and 10 arerotated they permit greater or lesser amounts of light to pass throughthem to window 12.

A comparison window 13 is placed on desk lid 11 below printing window12. Said comparison window has preferably a fixed gray value to whichtime switch 2 is adjusted. Alternately, it may have a gray value whichis variable by means not illustrated, which means may take the form ofgray wedge rolls such as 8, 9 and 10. In such case, the rotation of suchtime switch 2 may be linked to the means of moving such rolls so that itis automatically set upon the positioning of such rolls.

Frame 14 is pivotally mounted in rings 15 and 16 on desk lid 11 andserves the purpose of maintainingfilm 17 in a fiat position againstprinting window 12. Of course, there may be substituted for this frameother conventional means for holding a negative or strip of film in aflat position. Alternately, clamping means for fixing the frame ordetachable accommodation for the frame may also serve, instead of thisholding device, for holding a cassette over the printing window, filmcontainers with spooling devices being positioned on each side of thewindow, so that, instead of the exposed film, if desired also unexposedfilm can be intermittently passed in front of the Window and exposed,through the cassette, after opening a slide located underneath, byunrolling from one of the spools, for example for the production ofdiapositives.

Above printing window 12 are located two slots 13 which allow thepassage of the turned up ends 19 and 26 of the levers 21 and 22, topermit them to project through slots 18 so that they may serve asabutments to facilitate the positioning of paper on the surface of desklid 11, in the same way as the abutments 23 and 24 shown higher up onsaid lid. A print collecting device is shown at 25. A printing lever 26of conventional type, has on its shaft 27 two cams 28 and 29 and aratchet wheel 30 which is engaged by a pawl 31 on one arm of the Lframes31a. The cams each become positioned with one of their two oppositelydisposed lobes upon the levers 21 and 22. The two leaf springs 32 and 33tend to urge the freed ends of the rear arms of levers in an upwarddirection. 34 is .an over-centre tension spring which, on raising of theprinting lever, automatically urges it into the illustrated idleposition and, on lowering the printing lever into the operatingposition, presses the backing block 35 of the said lever down on thepicture window. 36 is a marking pin for making an impression in theprinting paper to one side .of the portion undergoing exposure. 37 arethree milled wheels (Fig. 4) for the actuation of the gray wedge rollsand 38 an arm with frictional holding springs 39 which prevent undesiredrotation of a neighboring roll.

The method of operation of the apparatus is as follows. After the film17 has been placed with the section to be printed, consisting, as shown,of three consecutive individual images, over printing window 12 andafter it has been fixed with respect to said window by folding downframe 14, printing lamp 4 is switched on and the gray wedge rolls 8, 9and 10 are rotated by turning milled wheels 37 (Fig. 4'), until thegradation of brightness, as seen by transmitted light, is the same inthe case of each of the three images and, if desired, agrees with thecomparative value rendered visible at the same time at window 13.Printing lamp 4 is then. switched off. By previous movement of lever 26,cam shaft 27 has been so rotated that, at the instant considered, theturned up ends 19 and 20 of the levers 21 and 22 project in the form ofstops from the desk lid surface above printing window 12. The printingpaper is laid with the emulsion side downwards against the projectingends and it is of such a size that it .can accommodate two rows ofthree, one under the other.

Printing lamp 4 is now switched on again, being actuated by time switch2, after the backing block 35 has been lowered. At the same time as thelatter operation takes place, the impression pin 36 marks the paper with.a small indicating mark to one side of the portion being printed upon,at a point where the film cannot be damaged, This mark has the objectthat, should the paper be inadvertently displaced after the printing,the sectionwhich has been printed upon can be recognized.

After raising frame 14, the film is now displaced towards the right by adistance corresponding to three further exposures and the operationconducted in the same manner as indicated above, after the paper hasbeen positioned against the upper projections 23 and 24 and the lobes ofthe cams 28 and 29 have been rotated into the horizontal position, bylifting printing lever 26 after the first printing operation, so thatthe springs 32 and 33 raise the rear sections of levers 21 and 22 andthus cause projections 19 and 20 to sink through slots 18 below thesurface of desk lid 11. The sheet which has been completely printed uponfalls into receiver 25 and the whole procedure can be repeated.

The adjustment of the movable support for the paper for the firstprinting operation, for effecting which object-the described method hasonly been given by way of example, can 'be' carried out in a variety ofways by means of other transmission means of the type having fixed orvariable couplings, in dependence upon the movement of the printinglever 35. For example, said lever may carry pins on its frame whichpenetrate into the desk housing and by means of a ratchet and pawl raiseor lower the support at every other movement or also actuate a pluralityof consecutively movable supports arranged at different places on thesloping desk lid surface so that three or four parallel superposedseries of prints can be produced. Also the printing window itself can berendered variable as regards the width of the picture by means of masks,slides or the like or it may be provided with a cassette closure and soon.

Instead of etfecting the above described reduction of the lightintensity of individual pictures by gray wedge rolls, other means ofeffecting a gradation can be provided. Finally the switching on of thetime switch can be a function of the movement of the backing plate leveror still further customary modifications for such copying apparatus canbe provided.

By the described method of gradation of the light intensity for eachimage, which can easily be operated prior to printing, and thevariation, by movement of the backing block, of the required positionfor printing by changing the stops for the printing paper, a process isprovided, especially for use in mass printing, for the rapid productionof satisfactory associations of several prints in co-ordinated groups ona single sheet, and especially for use in printing from fiirn strips butalso in printing from individual negatives which are held together by aband or a frame so that they can be passed consecutively over theprinting window.

Although the subject invention has been described with a certain degreeof particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has beenmade only by way of example and that numerous additions and changes inthe details of construction, combination and arrangement may be resortedto without transcending the scope of the invention as hereinafterclaimed.

What is claimed is:

1. An exposure apparatus comprising a housing, a light transmittingwindow positioned on a wall of said housing, a light source disposed insaid housing and spaced from said window, a plurality of rotatablysupported tubular members, axially aligned and encompassing said lightsource, said tubular members being formed of a light transmittingmaterial, the light transmitting properties of said material varyingalong the periphery of said tubular members and means to individuallyangularly rotate said tubular members so as to control the intensity oflight from said light source incident upon predetermined areas of saidwindow.

2. A photographic printer comprising a housing, a printing window in awall of said housing dimensioned to permit a plurality of negatives tobe placed against said window, a printing lamp mounted in said housingspaced from said window, a plurality of shafts rotatably mounted so asto extend within said housing, means external to said housing forcontrolling the rotation of said shafts, a gray wedge roll mounted oneach of said shafts so as mined area of said printing window, wherebythe amount of light falling upon predetermined areas of said printingwindow may be individually controlled by rotation of said gray wedgerolls.

3. An exposure apparatus as described in claim 1, a plurality of detentmeans extending from the wall of said a single piece of material ofcorresponding size.

4. An exposure apparatus as described in claim 3, a backing platepivotally mounted upon said housing so as to be swingable against saidprinting window, at least one of said detent means being mechanicallylinked to said backing plate so as to be removed from an operativeposition upon at least alternate swings of said backing plate towardsaid window.

5. An exposure apparatus as described in claim 2, a backing platepivotally mounted upon said housing and swingable against said printingwindow, a marking member projecting from said backing plate and adaptedto mark the material to be printed.

6. A photographic printer comprising a housing, a printing window insaid housing dimensioned to permit a plurality of negatives to be placedagainst said window, a printing lamp mounted in said housing spaced fromsaid window, a plurality of independently adjustable light intensityvarying means interposed between said lamp and said window, each of saidlight intensity varying means comprising gray wedge rolls rotatablysupported in endto-end coaxial relationship and encircling said printinglamp and means for individually angularly adjusting each of said rolls,whereby the intensity of light cast upon a particular portion of saidwindow by said lamp may be positions on a single piece of material ofcorresponding size.

8. An exposure apparatus as described in claim 7, a backing platepivotally mounted upon said housing so References Cited in the file ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,881,468 Gal-butt Oct. 11, 19322,273,421 Staley Feb. 17, 1942 2,459,362 Cary Jan. 18, 1949 2,484,322Sweet Oct. 11, 1949 2,533,447 Fitch Dec. 12, 1950 2,583,342 Reeves Ian.22, 1952

